New Orleans Traffic Violations GUide

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S af ety Cam era Pr o gr am ( Re d l i ght an d S pee d) FAQs Here you will find some of the most frequently asked questions about the safety camera program. What is a red-light running violation? A red-light running violation occurs when a motorist ENTERS an intersection after the traffic signal has turned red. Motorists already in the intersection when the signal changes to red are not considered red- light violators. What is a speed violation? A speed violation occurs when a motorist is traveling over the legal speed limit (35 mph for divided streets and 25 mph for all other streets, unless posted differently). Speeding motorists entering the intersection AFTER the light has turned red will only receive a red-light violation. Why install safety cameras? According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, red-light running is a leading cause of urban crashes and often causes injury and death. The City of New Orleans installed the safety cameras to reduce the number of red-light collisions and injuries associated with these crashes. The purpose of this program is to increase traffic safety with the goal of reducing red-light running violations, crashes and injuries. How does the safety camera work? Each intersection is outfitted with a high resolution, high speed digital video camera. The camera is activated by sensors, which are located just prior to the stop bar and are only activated when a motorist crosses the stop bar AFTER the light turns red. Two images, one showing the vehicle at the white stop bar and the illuminated red light and one showing the vehicle in the middle of the intersection and the illuminated red light, are taken and sent to the vehicle owner. In addition, the violation includes a close-up photo of the vehicle’s license plate. Video cameras also record a 12-second digital video of the violation, including six seconds prior to and six seconds after running the red light. Commissioned law enforcement officers review every violation before the citation is issued. How does the speed component of the safety cameras work? The speed enforcement cameras are the same units that record the red-light violations; however, they are specifically programmed to also register the speed of a vehicle as it enters the intersection. If the vehicle is traveling over the posted limit during a green or yellow light, the cameras will initiate and record. Where are the safety cameras located? The locations with camera installations are listed below. Each intersection is marked clearly with signs. • Southbound N. Carrollton Ave. at Canal St. • Eastbound Canal St. at N. Carrollton Ave. • Northbound S. Carrollton Ave. at Palmetto St. • Southbound S. Carrollton Ave. at Palmetto St. • Northbound S. Carrollton Ave. at Earhart Blvd. • Southbound S. Carrollton Ave. at Earhart Blvd. • Eastbound Earhart Blvd. at South Carrollton Ave. • Westbound Earhart Blvd. at South Carrollton Ave. • Eastbound Poydras St. at Loyola Ave. • Eastbound Poydras St. at St. Charles Ave. • Westbound Poydras St. at Magazine St. • Westbound Poydras St. at Carondelet St. • Eastbound St. Charles Ave. at Washington Ave. • Southbound St. Charles Ave. at Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. • Northbound St. Charles Ave. at Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. • Westbound St. Charles Ave. at Louisiana Ave. • Eastbound St. Charles Ave. at Louisiana Ave. • Northbound Paris Ave. at Crescent Dr. • Southbound Paris Ave. at Prentiss Ave. • Northbound Toledano St. at Galvez St. • Southbound Toledano St. at Galvez St. • Eastbound Florida Blvd. at Milne Blvd. • Northbound Canal Blvd. at French St. • Southbound Canal Blvd. at French St. • Eastbound St. Charles Ave. at Jena St. • Westbound St. Charles Ave. at Jena St. • Northbound Read Blvd. at Hammond St. • Southbound Read Blvd. at Hammond St. • Northbound Jackson Ave. at Chestnut St. • Southbound Jackson Ave. at Coliseum St. • Northbound Franklin Ave. at Wisteria St. • Southbound Franklin Ave. at Wisteria St. • Eastbound Bienville St. at N. St. Patrick St. • Westbound Bienville St. at N. Olympia St. • Westbound Canal St. at N. Olympia St. • Eastbound Canal St. at S. St. Patrick St. What is the amount of the red-light or speed enforcement fines? The fine for a red-light violation in the City of New Orleans is $100. Fines for speed violations are based on how many miles per hour over the posted speed limit the motorist is traveling: MPH Over the Fine Posted Speed Limit 1 - 9 mph $40 10 – 14 mph $75 15 – 20 mph $125 Greater than 20 mph $200

In addition, an administration fee of $35 is applied to each actual violation. Can I receive a red-light and speed enforcement citation for the same violation? No. Drivers who receive photo citations are cited either for a red-light violation or a speed violation. The City of New Orleans has chosen not to assign multiple violations for the same incident. How much time do I have to pay my Notice of Infraction? You must pay the civil penalty on or before the due date on your Notice of Infraction. The due date for payment is located on the top and bottom right of your Notice of Infraction. What are my options? 1. Pay the fine. Pay Online. Logon to www.ViolationInfo.com by entering your Notice number and PIN number shown in the red box on the front right of your Notice. Click the Pay button. There is a convenience fee of $4.00 that will be assessed at the time of payment. Pay by Mail. Mail your check or money order, payable to City of New Orleans, in the enclosed envelope along with the coupon printed at the bottom of the notice. Write the Notice number and the license plate number on your check or money order. Do not mail cash. The mailing address is: City of New Orleans Photo Safety Program P.O. Box 742503 Cincinnati, OH 45274-2503 Pay by Credit Card. Call toll free 1-866-790-4111 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday – Friday. There is a convenience fee of $4.00 that will be assessed at the time of payment. 2. Request a hearing in writing. You may request a hearing in writing. A Hearing Request Form will be included with the Notice of Infraction. The form can also be found at www.ViolationInfo.com. Complete the form and mail it to: Administrative Hearing Center Photo Safety Program 1340 Poydras Street New Orleans LA 70112 Hearing options include a mitigation hearing in person or a mitigation hearing by mail to explain the circumstances or a contested hearing in person to contest the infraction. 3. Submit an Affidavit of Non-Responsibility. You may submit an Affidavit of Non-Responsibility. Submit it if your vehicle was sold or stolen. You may obtain an Affidavit of Non-Responsibility by visiting www.ViolationInfo.com. This Affidavit must be filled out accurately and in its entirety and presented to the hearing officer at the time of your hearing. Visit www.ViolationInfo.com to view information about your Notice of Infraction. You will be asked to enter your Notice number and PIN number, found on the front of your Warning or Notice of Infraction in the upper right corner, inside the red box. Can I make payments in installments or set up a payment plan? No. Payment plans are not available. What happens if I ignore the Notice of Infraction? Failure to pay the civil penalty by the due date on the Notice of Infraction shall result in the imposition of a late-payment fee of $75. If the second notice remains unpaid, collections and entry of a judgment against you may proceed. What if I was not the driver/owner of the vehicle at the time of the violation? Per the City of New Orleans, you may request a hearing and submit an Affidavit of Non-Responsibility by mail. The Affidavit must be filled out accurately and in its entirety. You may obtain this form either by downloading and printing the form from www.ViolationInfo.com or visiting the Court in person. Bring the completed form to the Court in person on your hearing date. I sent my payment by mail before the due date, but it will not arrive on time; will I be charged late fees? Late fees will NOT be assessed if your payment is postmarked on or before the due date located on the front of your Notice of Infraction. I paid my violation; why did I receive another Notice of Infraction? The Notice you just received could be for additional violations or it could be a second notice, which is now a Delinquent Notice. If it is a Delinquent Notice, chances are that your payment and the Notice crossed in the mail. It can take as many as 10 business days to show in the system once it has reached our office. Call 1-866-790-4111 to confirm that your payment was received. Will I receive any points on my driving record for this Infraction? No. This is a civil infraction that is not reported to the Louisiana Department of Motor Vehicles. What company provides the red-light and speed enforcement camera program? The City of New Orleans has contracted with American Traffic Solutions, Inc. (ATS) to provide the Automated Safety Camera Program for Red-light and Speed Enforcement. ATS will install and maintain all equipment related to this program and process violations captured by the equipment. ATS is a leading provider of technology and business solutions that support electronic toll and traffic management programs worldwide. More information about ATS is at www.atsol.com. Re d- l i gh t Ru n ni n g Fa ct s

• Red-light running is the leading cause of urban crashes according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. • In 2006, 144,000 injuries and nearly 900 fatalities in the U.S. were attributed to red-light running. There were more than 1.8 million accidents at intersections. • Deaths caused by red-light running are increasing at more than three times the rate of increase for all other fatal crashes. • More people are injured in crashes involving red-light running than in any other crash type. • Reduction in red-light running through a comprehensive red-light camera program will promote and protect the public health, safety and welfare of New Orleans’ citizens. • Most people run red lights because they are in a hurry, when in fact they only save seconds. Sources: “Stop Red Light Running,” Federal Highway Administration Safety Website: safety.fhwa.dot.gov/programs/srlr.htm.2002. R. A. Retting and A.F. Williams, "Characteristics of Red Light Violators: Results of a Field Investigation," Journal of Safety Research (1996): 27.1, 9-15.